Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Engine
En′gine
(ĕn′jĭn)
, Noun.
1.
(Pronounced, in this sense,
ĕn-jēn′
.) Natural capacity; ability; skill.
[Obs.]
A man hath sapiences three,
Memory,
Memory,
engine
, and intellect also. Chaucer.
2.
Anything used to effect a purpose; any device or contrivance; a machine; an agent.
Shak.
You see the ways the fisherman doth take
To catch the fish; what
To catch the fish; what
engines
doth he make? Bunyan.
Their promises, enticements, oaths, tokens, and all these
engines
of lust. Shakespeare
3.
Any instrument by which any effect is produced; especially, an instrument or machine of war or torture.
“Terrible engines of death.” Sir W. Raleigh.
4.
(Mach.)
A compound machine by which any physical power is applied to produce a given physical effect.
Engine driver
, one who manages an engine; specifically, the engineer of a locomotive.
– Engine lathe
. (Mach.)
See under
– Lathe
. Engine tool
, a machine tool.
J. Whitworth.
– Engine turning
(Fine Arts)
, a method of ornamentation by means of a rose engine.
☞ The term engine is more commonly applied to massive machines, or to those giving power, or which produce some difficult result. Engines, as motors, are distinguished according to the source of power, as steam engine, air engine, electro-magnetic engine; or the purpose on account of which the power is applied, as fire engine, pumping engine, locomotive engine; or some peculiarity of construction or operation, as single-acting or double-acting engine, high-pressure or low-pressure engine, condensing engine, etc.
En′gine
,Verb.
T.
1.
To assault with an engine.
[Obs.]
To
engine
and batter our walls. T. Adams.
2.
To equip with an engine; – said especially of steam vessels;
as, vessels are often built by one firm and
. engined
by another3.
(Pronounced, in this sense, [GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK].) To rack; to torture.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
2.
One who manages as engine, particularly a steam engine; an engine driver.
3.
One who carries through an enterprise by skillful or artful contrivance; an efficient manager.
[Colloq.]
Civil engineer
, a person skilled in the science of civil engineering.
– Military engineer
, one who executes engineering works of a military nature. See under
Engineering
.Webster 1828 Edition
Engine
EN'GINE
,Noun.
1.
In mechanics, a compound machine, or artificial instrument, composed of different parts, and intended to produce some effect by the help of the mechanical powers; as a pump, a windlas, a capstan, a fire engine, a steam engine.2.
A military machine; as a battering ram, &c.3.
Any instrument; that by which any effect is produced. An arrow, a sword, a musket is an engine of death.4.
A machine for throwing water to extinguish fire.5.
Means; any thing used to effect a purpose.6.
An agent for another; usually in an ill sense.